Monday, January 23, 2012

the North guest bedroom: details

Thank you so much for your compliments on the guest bedroom!

As I describe each photo I will attempt to answer your questions, but please let me know if I miss anything.

This North guest bedroom is also known as the "red" room, or "Kristen's" room;) I adore red in interiors, and, in fact, had a red study in Dallas. A red room didn't work for the farmhouse, but as I designed this guest room I found that red accents worked well in the space, and my "red' found a home!

Since I always share my sources with you I realized after looking through the photographs that I should start this post off with a disclaimer straightaway... the only source I can give you is for the curtains.

This brings up a topic that I've never discussed outright, but one that I should address. I'm not one of those decorators who changes their interiors regularly.(What will we talk about after I show you all my rooms???!)
My goal in designing spaces is that they will be classic and stand the test of time, or trend- meaning that I do have things that are considered trendy, but usually I've had them before they were mass-produced trends and will have them after they are no longer "In" since I purchased them because they appealed to my personal design aesthetic. That being said, I tend to keep things for a very long period of time. I buy things that I really love, and then love and use them for many years.

I guess in a way this is my apology for only being able to source the curtains! Everything else has been with me for years/decades.
Lesson: have in your home only things that you absolutely love- it's good for your heart, and your pocketbook!

All paint is Benjamin Moore.
The walls are Overcast (OC-43), which is a muted green/gray/putty in Eggshell finish.
The trim is White Dove in Latex Satin Impervo.
The ceiling is White Dove in Pearl finish.

The bedroom as seen from the upstairs hallway.
The floors are original to the house; they are random-width Eastern white pine and are face nailed.

The antique rug was found at the Scott Antique Market in Atlanta. I adore this rug and its vivid red- which is very worn in some places. The vintage crystal chandelier is one of a pair that I found in a nearby antique shop; the other chandelier is in the second guest room.
The 100% linen curtains are from Ikea. They are Aina - "unbleached." The thin, black metal curtain rods are also from Ikea. I didn't like the finials that came on the rods, so I found simple wooden balls and painted them black to match the rods. I hung the curtains so that they would just barely puddle on the floor.
The basket on the floor holds magazines and was purchased years ago (I believe it was from Garden Ridge, Brooke ;) The thin crown molding is original to the whole house.

The sheer cotton gauze bed skirt is from Ballard Designs... some 15 years ago. The white, scalloped matelasse coverlet was purchased around the same time. I brought home six or seven different quilts for the end of the bed trying to match the beautiful, but elusive, gray/green/blue in the rug and in the religious painting in the corner of the room. Every time I thought "this one is perfect" I got it home and it clashed. I finally (after months) found the perfect hue. It is actually the same quilt that is on the bed in the master bedroom, just a different color/size (unfortunately, it is discontinued from DKNY.)

The large pillow made from an antique kilim rug (it is very similar in style and color to the rug on the floor) was purchased from the same rug dealer at the Scott show. It sits in front of a pair of shams that match the blue/green/gray quilt. I made the extra large linen pillow that spans the bed using a gorgeous red velvet antique bell pull. The intricate handwork on the pull is stunning, and I bought it not really knowing what I was going to use it for, just because I loved it. Then, one day, it clicked as to how perfect it would work as a pillow in this room! It was a big hunt to find a pillow that was large enough for the length of the bell bull. The pillow form is one of those huge "body pillows" from Bed Bath and Beyond- it spans the entire full-sized bed!

Ahhhhh, the bed frame!
This antique English iron bed frame was my very firstantique. My mother bought it for me right after college. It was from lying in this bed and pondering where the bed had come from/ who had owned it before me/ what the rooms and the houses looked like that it had resided in over the hundred years before I owned it - that my love for antiques began in my early twenties. The bed frame is what is referred to as a "three-quarters" size, as it is not quite a full. To be able to use a full size mattress, my father made a wood platform that the mattress sits on, instead of using a box spring. In Dallas the bed frame wasn't used and was stored in the garage for many years. I'm so grateful for my late father's meticulous details and directions written on the wood platform, so that Dan and I could figure out how it all went back together. Even though I wasn't using it in Dallas I could never sell it. I always envisioned it being perfectly at home in an antique farmhouse, and all these years later, it is!

This photograph makes the bed frame look a bit more blue than it actually is. It is painted with Rustoleum Texture spray paint in Dark Pewter. I didn't set out to use the texture paint, but that was the color of gray (there are a lot of grays on the market;) that I liked for the room. The mat texture actually adds a nice authentic "iron" look and feel to the bed.

The religious oil painting is our earliest, dating to the 1600's. It is painted on hand-woven canvas known as tabby cloth and is from a much larger work of religious art. The painting depicts what appears to be a marriage as there is an exchange of a beautiful ring. The painting has gorgeous detail... the pearl earrings the woman is wearing are stunning.

The antique pine chair was found (sans the cane seat) at an estate sale in Dallas. I had the seat re-caned and used to use the chair every day at my vanity in Dallas to put on makeup. (fyi - dry cane causes breakage... a simple trick to keep cane from drying out and therefore keeping it strong and pliable, is to occasionally wet a washcloth, lightly wring it out and place it on the cane overnight.)
Antique wire basket found in France holds a collection of white coral.

This guest bedroom is the smaller of the two guest rooms, so I was very pleased to be able to incorporate the antique French desk that we found at the Paris flea market. The antique hand-painted egg prints were found at the Scott Antiques Market. I framed them in a pair of antique gilt frames with the original wavy glass still intact, that I found at an antique shop in McKinney, Texas. A vintage red leather ottoman sits under the desk with extra throws.

The vintage Louis XV style chair is one of a pair; its mate can be found in the reading room. I purchased the chairs about 20 years ago, and I hand-applied gold leaf (the real kind, not the paint) to the frames. You can see a hint of the gilt on the chair back. Twenty year ago I had this fabric upholstered on them using the reverse side of the shiny damask fabric that was so popular at the time. This side looked like a patterned linen. I remember the upholster thought I was crazy, and I had never seen it done before, but it felt like the right decision. It has proven to be a good one, as I have used and loved them for 20 years! About six years ago I applied a grey wash over the gilt chair frames, and tea stained the fabric (while on the chair;) to soften them a bit.
We purchased the vintage watercolor at estate sale in Dallas many years ago. At the time the painting hung in our hall in Dallas and I didn't want to invest the money to reframe and re-mat the piece, so I spray painted both the frame and the mat!

The unsigned oil painting was found in this frame at an antique shop in Austin, Texas years ago. We almost didn't buy it as it as it was out of our budget. We left the store and sat in the car discussing if we could/should buy it and then I ran back in to purchase it! Thank goodness!

The antique iron and marble topped table was found in an antiques shop in Natchitoches, Louisiana. It was from Rosemont Plantation.

The wood baluster lamp is a favorite that I have had for 20 years. Don't be surprised when you see another one just like it (different shade) in the South guest bedroom... I have a "thing" for balusters, evident by the number of them I have around the house! (fyi- I see the term misused often at antique shops, so to clarify- a "baluster" is a single piece while a 'balustrade" is the entire railing made up of individual balusters.) We purchased about 25 of these at one of the first estate sales we ever went to in Dallas. It was a fabulous old Highland Park house (for those of you who know Dallas) and we bought every single baluster knowing that they would make great lamps. They were a very popular seller in my early years as an antiques dealer. The are solid wood, so Dan had to drill a shaft through the baluster for the wire to go to the base.

Small antique iron urn holds an African violet and shares the table with a silver hotel tray, an antique oil painting of sheep that was recently framed by having an antique frame cut down to fit, a piece of white coral and a black oval framed antique chalkware carving of a boy that we found in France.

I must admit that I lust after your lovely home! I wish I knew you well enough to spend some time there, but I will in my dreams! You have inspired me to look at my home and antiques in a new way. Thank you for sharing!

Dear Joan,Please book my reservation immediately. I'd like to keep my stay open ended, because of every detail you so beautifully incorporated into this space, I won't be able to commit to a departure date!xo,~Rebecca

ps: I have so many pieces too that I purshased in my 20's and still love!

I believe if I walked up the stairs to discover I would be calling this my room, I just might never leave! You are so talented. It is amazing how you have created such an incredible place to call home. May you have many, many wonderful visitors!

I'll be ready for a visit after my last kiddo graduates from high school this June! Love the red and all the soothing details...Glad to know you too love IKEA and the Pacific Northwest. Illinois can't compete with New England, so we're moving back to Gig Harbor, WA for the beauty & friends.

You are absolutely brilliant!Impeccable!I am adding your blog to the inspiration roll on mine...Can you please tell me what colors you used in your master BR and DR?Thank you so much!agumbinner(@)gmail.com

Wonderful to have things you've loved for years. You obviously had 'the eye' if you bought the real antiques before they became trendy. I believe you said you had an antique shop in Dallas. How did you manage not to keep everything you loved? Your house has wonderful antiques, but not so many that it seems cluttered. Do you ever plan to have a shop again? What I really want to know is how did you ever tea stain a chair with the fabric on it? I remember when you mentioned it about the chair in the other room. I have a floral wing chair I would love to tea stain, especially since the dog likes to get up on it when we're not home and it has a certain patina now ;-)

I'm glad to hear that your love for antiques started in your early twenties. As a 24 year old Mississippi girl, I, too, have a love for all things old. Any advice on how to REALLY get started in finding the best would be appreciated :) Thanks for sharing your home with strangers! -Ellen Clarke

Most home owners do not have this much history and love in their entire house, and you have a house full in one room. I love reading the details of how each item ended up in your talented hands. And thanks for the tip on keeping cane moist.

Of course, it is all beautiful, Joan. I loved reading the details. I agree with you about choosing things you love so you will love them for a long time. I keep my rooms the same for many years, perhaps changing them up a little with objets from time to time or working in an antique with which I have fallen in love.Have a great day,Victoria

I love that you used a body pillow as a pillow form, and the bell pull detail is gorgeous! All of your art, and antique furniture that you have collected over time work so well together! They serve to give this room such an authentic, well dressed, homey and serene feeling. I love it! You and Dan are truly living the dream in that beautiful old house! Fabulous post!xo-Lisa

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading the DETAILS of this amazing room. I love that you surround yourself with what you love, as we all should. I have felt kinda "out of the loop" in some ways re blogging as I don't tend to follow design TRENDS either. We have mostly objects that either my FIL bought in other countries while a pilot for 30 some years or similiar things we have purchsed and KEEP. I would love to spend a weekend in that room and learn from you about design, antiques etc. Thanks again for the tour. XO, Pinky

Your room is beautiful. The layers and textures you create in each of your rooms has me returning to look and discover some new little treasure I missed the last time I stopped by to look. Thank you for so generously sharing your lovely home!

Adore your blog and the way you write with such detail -- you should have your own book or magazine! I would feel very special to stay in this guest room for the attention to detail and comfort -- are you taking reservations?

I loved the room when I saw it the first time. I'm packing my bags now, will leave friday morning... ;)I love the pillow made out of a rug...I have a gorgeous hooked rug that has holes, but would love to be able to salvage...did you sew it or have it done?

And when you collect things you love, they absolutely never go out of style!!

That painting over the bed is to die for! There really is something about a "red" room that is so appealing. Even though I know I will never get to see it in person, I thankful for you sharing it nonetheless. Hope you don't mind me vicariously stopping by via the Internet. I think I have already worn out my welcome. It is so beautiful!

love, love, love. it's all so lovely joan. i sure hope this comment goes through but if not i'll email you. what will you talk about when you are done showing your rooms? welcome to my world. i adore the textures, you are so good at this, in an essentially neutral room. the red is the perfect foil in here. just gorgeous.

It's nice to know that someone else still puddles the curtains!!!! I really have a problem with that gap at the bottom, I know they are harder to keep clean but they just look so much nicer (and it does still keep out the drafts!!)The room is very elegant and restful.

Carolyn- great questions! I first want to say that many of the things I've had before they were "trendy" weren't all antiques; I've had coral, burlap, herbariums, white ironstone, demi-johns for around ten years, and I'm sure I'll still have them when they are considered "out", if they aren't already! I think you hit the nail on the head on how I didn't keep everything I bought to sell (and trust me I did buy things to sell and ended up keeping them;) by mentioning that the house doesn't seem cluttered (thank you;) -my number one mantra is edit, edit, edit! While my rule in buying for my business was that I had to "love" what I sold, I didn't necessarily have to "own" it. I don't know if that all makes sense, it's a bit difficult to express in writing.... sorry. I am contemplating selling again, perhaps this time on-line; I will keep everyone posted;) To tea stain the chairs I first experimented with different teas which I steeped then tested on white fabric to see how they would stain. I chose one, and made a large batch and then in the hot Texas sun (so that it would dry quickly and not slowly and splotchy) I used a large sponge brush and just brushed it on. I would definitely test some fabric perhaps underneath your chair first. Honestly, I was in a "what the hell" mood and threw caution to the wind and just did it! I was happy (and lucky;) that it turned out as well as it did.

Ellen- I just love knowing that a very smart;) 24 year old reads my blog! I've been asked that a lot lately, so I'm going to work on an antiques post, okay?! I appreciate the post topic suggestion.

Kimberly- I'm thrilled to have you, you have not worn out your welcome;)

Beautiful guest room Joan and since I live about 20 minutes from you that will be me knocking on your door at 7:30..;) Quick open the wine and turn down the bed and I'm bring Dylan, the kids can play together.

Every time you call for your readers to leave a comment, I think, "Oh, I'll have to do that." So here goes:

I don't know how I found your blog, but I'm currently an apartment dweller with home-buying in the very near future. Having a home on the horizon, I began to read decorating blogs to get a sense of what I wanted. I liked a lot of them, but I always ended up thinking I wanted something more real, and whole. Enter your blog.

As soon as I saw the work and time you'd invested in your house, I was hooked. I grew up with a Dad who not only saw, but had the ability to bring out the beauty in things. Everything he did, he poured his whole self into, investing into his projects so they became something important. I see the same thing here.

Your blog has honed my need for that same beauty and importance. I've noticed that I don't buy something to fill a space anymore, but have started investing in timeless pieces I love. Pieces that can be passed down.

I'm not in my house yet, but I love knowing that it won't just be decorated. It will be a reflection of me and the beauty I see. I don't think I could have reached that point without seeing your own work.

I tell you truly, yours is one of two of my most favorite homes (not houses, there is a difference to me)in all of blogland (the other being Steve's of Urban Cottage). I find it to be just incredibly beautiful in its patina, its charm, its warmth. I would be beyond myself and beyond again if it were mine!

Joan,Oh, how lovely! Thank you so much for sharing. It is all truly beautiful. I adore how things are gathered in your home. Ours is similar, and I love the memories that our "things" evoke! We have shared that we both lived in Dallas, Texas, but I haven't told you that we also lived in Atlanta. MANY of our things came from Scott's. It is not a terrible drive, but with 3 young ones, I don't make it often. I am thrilled you shared your stories. Thank you!Jamie

Hello Joan,I have such a hard time describing your style of decorating. I am sure there is a catagory but I am not sure I know what it is. All I can say is it is beautiful, sophisticated and classic. I have to say that what you did over the years with the Louis XV style chair is pure brilliance. You have given me a great idea as a result of this post. Thanks so much for sharing.

I am on my way! Oh this room just sings to my heart as does your whole house. You have the most timeless classic elegant home. I just absolutely love it and if you ever need to adopt a daughter/sister, I come with a wonderful handsome husband, precious beautiful 6 year old girl, and a sweet old four legger! :-)

Oh, Joan. LOVE this room as much as your other rooms. Your style is impeccable! Don't even think about not posting once you show us all your house. Keep us updated on your family, your town, and interesting pieces you see along the way. My bookmark list just wouldn't be the same without you! Promise?

You question what you will post about in the future...as one of your followers, I hope you will post about the magical place, town, state you have made your home. As one who dreams of such a life, it is your blog that transports me to the closest reality of that dream. Please never stop posting of my hopes and dreams - for I live them through your words and pictures :)

I'm so glad you sent out an invitation, as I was going to comment how much I'd love to stay in this guest room! It is lovely. I especially love the painting that is perhaps a wedding. So rich. Once you give away all your decorating secrets, I imagine you will still have so much more to share...I'm looking forward to many stories to come. As it is, it's okay you only have one source, because there is so much inspiration in the details of how you make your decisions.And on a side note, I saw someone using your beloved conks as wall shelves! I immediately thought of you. I don't know if you'd like the look, or if you've even done the same, but I thought of you none the less.

Oh my gosh! Absolutely gorgeous!! I love the warmth and "creaminess" in the colors. How did you choose White Dove for the color of your trim? I have been trying to decide for months and have gone back and forth between several Ben Moore colors. Is White Dove a creamy white? It looks that way in your pictures. I want something creamy, not stark white, and no grey undertones. I've also thought about Linen White. Help!! I can't decide. Linda

BethA and Analeise- it was so interesting... I was checking my comments and unbeknownst to both of you, you had within minutes left such similar comments about keeping on blogging! Thank you!

Casandra- I love that I was thought of when you saw the conks shelves!!

M- Yes, I do all the decorating/design myself. Dan is very involved and is turns all my design "ideas" into reality for me!

Linda- I used Linen White as my trim in my last house. It has a lot more yellow in it. In our last house it 'read' as white since I didn't have all the natural light that I do here. Here it just looked yellow. The White Dove was a cleaner white and does have a bit of gray undertone, but it doesnt 'read' as having gray in it. Decorators White is a more true bright white-white. I would suggest to get the paint chip from BM that has all their stock white trim colors on it. And to walk it around your room and hold it up to furniture and upholstery around your house during different times of day to find 2 or 3 that you like and then get some of the little sample pots and paint them on some primed board or white foam core and then move those around the house until the right one makes itself known! Whites are hard, good luck!

As always, it is just breathtaking! Your style gives me a sense of comfort, order, and space to breathe. I always love looking at your rooms when you post. The idea of just posting pictures and then in a follow up post giving the information is brilliant.

I'm all about that little iron table! And I love the lamp. I bought two oversize black 'balusters' from an consignment store a year ago, tossed them in my trunk and hauled them directly to a lamp store. They too reside in my guestroom.

Your house is so beautiful and its neat that you know where all the bits and peices came from. All so classy and elegant until the drapes. Sigh.As a custom drapery maker, I sure hope you didnt pay for custom as those look straight out of a pottery barn catalog. Kinda bring down the room. What happened to the bedskirt? the top fabric isnt even and is shorter than the lining. I know as a designer you wouldnt put that in a clients house, maybe more relaxed for your own home but a photo that makes it so noticeable is unfortunate. Anytime you want a remake I'll help you out!Love the bell pull on the body pillow, isnt it great to find a way to feature great textiles? Nice.

Beautiful room. I love the wall color. But I also love a red room. I'd love for you to stop by my blog to see my red room, or should I say rooms (LR,DR,and kit.). I love to visit your blog to see what you"ve been doing.

*Again* :) I am gonna ooh and ahh over your photos. I do wonder how can I get the same frame of mind to keep my decor and tastes the same?? I am seriously wondering if I have a mental illness!! My family is getting tired of me rearranging and trying 'new' things every few days/weeks...though I have to say, I am recycling and reusing, so hasn't been much money spent, if any at all. I truly am using your home to inspire me as I tweak and redo :)

HI Joan I'm late to the party again but it's all beautiful.Every single bit of the room is beautiful. I try not to buy on trend as they say but sometimes it's hard not to be influenced.When you've shown us all your rooms I'm sure you'll still have plenty to show and teach us.I agree editing is important.Kind RegardsKarenPS It's Australia Day here tomorrow

Village Queen- What happened to the bedskirt is that I have a bad habit of not staging a room before I start to take photographs of it. It appears I inadvertantly gathered some of the gauze fabric when tucking in the sheet on the bed thus making the gauze higher than the lining in a couple of spots. Interesting you read about the body pillow, but didn't read about the curtains coming from Ikea ;) I think Pottery Barn has some lovely curtains, btw. I specifically chose these curtains (which I love- for their look and their value) as I didn't want the "feel" of perfect pinch-pleat/ gathered curtains. I wanted a softer effect for the room as it works much better with my not-perfect antique farmhouse and my personal decorating style. Hope that makes sense- it's a difficult design concept to explain in writing. With your discerning eye I bet your interiros are picture perfect!

Jessica- I think what you are doing is acutally very smart... I think it is a learning process and you are educating yourself. I often have to literally "see" something in a room before I can decide if it works or not. In planning a room I will often sketch out a floorplan for furniture placement, but ofen I just need to put furniture in the room and then move it around to find the best placement!

Lovely room . I love the bed, I have three 3/4 beds and they are a test when it comes to a mattress . Only one in use right now with an Ikea mattress. Quite comfortable. The others are rope strung. Not practical for active kids. But I wouldn't part with the one my grandfather got me. My mom had a custom made mattress for that one. I can count on my fingers the brand new furniture I've bought for the house over some 40 years.

TDM- then Autumn it is;) Yes, I did keep a record (journal) of all my purchases and in fact pulled it out for this post as I wanted to make sure that we had purchased the desk at the Paris Flea Market and not an antique show we went to outside of Paris. Not that anyone other than us would notice the error, but I try to be factual;) Honestly, we remember where "most" things came from (especially between the two of us- one will remember) Antiqueing has always been like a big treasure hunt, so when we find something we love and are so excited to buy it we tend to remember the "memory" of that fun experience and when/where we were at the time!

What a beautiful, well thought out guest bedroom. One of my favorite things about your entire home is that you mix beautiful, old antiques with pieces from Ikea....and it is PERFECT! To me that shows that you are a "real" person and not snobby or only hung up on the pedigree or cost of things. I also really beleive that this mix somehow makes everything look so much better than if everything was a high end antique or an expensive designer piece. You are so clever : )

Dear Joan, here I am into March and still passing through your incredible posts and looking at each photo with admiration and wonder at the attention and level of detail you dispense on your treasured belongings.

As for your response to the "Village Queen" comment, I can only bow to the superb display of politeness and restraint exhibited in your response (which only goes to augment my respect for you).

I did click on her name to her website in order to see from where this expert voice emanates and now know where to go should I wish to order...ahh...multi coloured striped drapes?

Hi, I love your style and the awesome Ikea drapes. I see many posts showing the unbleached AINA curtain. Do you know if Ikea still offers these? I purchased 4 natural AINA panels and they have a strong green undertone (still nice for the price but not the look I wanted) - not at all brown/gray - and the gray color looked blue in the store. Were they sold as unbleached or bleached at one time? Just wondering if they changed them. I really want this look! Thanks so much.

Yes, when I purchased mine they were called 'unbleached', but per the Ikea website they are now called "natural". Mine are definitely the brown/gray natural. Perhaps it was just an odd color-lot; I would check their inventory again to see if they are different, and return the greenish ones? (Although Ikea is the WORST at taking things back;(

I absolutely love your home! It is obviously filled with things well loved, and everything has a chance to shine instead of filling every space to the brim. While renovating our 1930s house in Fort Worth I have come again and again for inspiration. One thing that really stands out is that you buy things that you really enjoy and keep them with you over the years. I have tried to follow this philosophy, which is why my home is seemingly "undecorated". i search and search for things that speak to my heart, and when I get a bit discouraged I look back to your post, and think that it worth waiting to find that perfect piece.

I'm going to sew my own linen curtains with some Belgian linen, but to balance the $$$ of the linen, I'm going to sew them myself using the ikea pleating tape and tracks. As I don't have an ikea in New Zealand, I was wondering if you could send me the measurement from the top of the Aina curtain to the top of the tape? Thanks, love your house. I've gone with a modern home this time around but my prairie roots (I'm Canadian) yearn for a home like yours!

I'm sorry, but my curtains only have the pocket sewn in the top (which is how hang mine) or tabs on the outside of the pockets. They do not have the pleating tape and track. Perhaps that is a later version?

Just found your blog through Pinterest and I love it! I'm in the process of changing paint colors in my traditional house and my style is very similar to yours. But...my things are all looking a bit dated and it's time to freshen things up! I was wondering if you could help me - my library and dining room are at the front of the house and face north. The library is currently painted red (more brick than blue) and the dining room is currently painted a dark sage green (from 15 years ago!). The library gets a little light during the day while the dining room gets more - both rooms have red-toned oak hardwoods and brown antique wood, gold, blue, red and brown accents. I LOVE your paint colors and was wondering if you thought they might work in north-facing rooms. I'm considering going the whole gray with blue/green undertones route just to freshen thing up. By the way, I'm in Dallas!! Thank you so much! Lisa

hi Lisa, Welcome to the blog! The only way to really know if the colors would work (and I think they would in theory) is to buy a sample pot or a quart of the paint color you are interested in and paint them on a large sample board (always painting two get the true color). Recently at Home Depot they were selling these ingenious sample panels (paint dept.) that you can test paint and then move around the room as they adhere to the wall and are removeable.

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"when every corner speaks of possibility I know that I am home." -unknown-

Ten years ago I could not have even pointed out New Hampshire on a map, but here we are. Six years ago, after living for 15 years in the beehive that is Dallas, Dan and I finally escaped and landed in a very small town in New Hampshire that doesn't even have a traffic light. Perfection! Our move was a huge risk, but it has paid off with dividends and we absolutely love it here. I think we are really Yankees at heart. If you've never been to New England I cannot describe it with adequate words, you really just have to experience it. It is like no other part of the country. Its beauty matches our beloved Colorado, Oregon, and Washington and its spirit (Live Free or Die) is reminiscent of Texas, and the people... well, we have found them to be most genuine. In essence... we feel as if we have arrived home!

joan

ella...

photo by David McCaughan

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the entry

the living room

the kitchen

the dining room

the reading room

the master bedroom

the master bath

the North guest room

the South guest room

the guest bath

the barn room

the barn half bath

the barn mud room

With the eyes to see it and the hands to create it, we can recover the home that the soul desires.
-A. Lawlor-

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my lunch with the fabulous Bunny Williams...

my paint and stain colors:

It's a house with rooms that reflect a place, a feeling, a memory of the past.-unknown-

Simplicity-Making your life a creative work of art. A great piece of art is composed not just of what is in the final piece, but equally important, what is not. It is the discipline to discard what does not fit- to cut out what might have already cost days or even years of effort.